Muskegon's Kody Weisner Ready to Race at Speedweeks

University of Northwestern Ohio Set to Make Big Impact During 41st UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit

by Kevin Kovac

BARBERVILLE, Fla. -- If anyone attends a racing program at Volusia Speedway Park from Feb. 14-25 and leaves without remembering the words University of Northwestern Ohio, then they just weren't paying attention.

The Lima, Ohio-based institution is, after all, the title sponsor of the 41st UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment, assuring itself plenty of spoken, visual and written exposure throughout the half-mile oval's mid-winter motorsports spectacular.

What's more, the school that boasts the world's first High Performance/Motorsports degree program will also be an active participant in the racing meet's DIRTcar UMP Modified action, which runs nightly from Feb. 14-21. The UNOH logo will adorn the bodywork of nine UMP Modifieds, including four driven by nationally-known pavement stars and four prepared and steered by UNOH students.

UNOH's UMP Modified assault on Volusia will feature NASCAR veterans Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader as well as the fast-rising Dillon brothers, Austin (2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion) and Ty (2011 ARCA Racing Series titlist). Each driver will compete in the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit in UMP Modifieds sponsored by UNOH.

'This is going to be the busiest Speedweeks we've ever had,' said UNOH Vice President of Development Steve Farmer. 'It's always a lot of work to get ready for Volusia, and this year our hands are full even more. We're the title sponsor of the DIRTcar Nationals for the first time, plus we're sponsoring the All-Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car series (which runs at Volusia on Feb. 15-16), we're having our first UNOH Career in Motorsports Expo (on Feb. 18 at Daytona International Speedway) and we're sponsoring Ty Dillon in the NASCAR Truck Series at Daytona.'

The year marks UNOH's fifth consecutive year as a backer of Volusia's annual dirt-track racing extravaganza. Previously a presenting sponsor, the school has increased its participation in 2012 ' a clear signal of the significance the event holds for the Buckeye State university.

'Our involvement with the World Racing Group, the DIRTcar Nationals and the World of Outlaws has been very, very successful,' said Farmer. 'It's really enhanced the presence UNOH has in the industry as well as in motorsports and it provides us a great grassroots platform to recruit students and show them what the University of Northwestern Ohio has to offer.'

A private, not-for-profit school that launched its High Performance/Motorsports degree program in 1991, UNOH uses the DIRTcar Nationals to cap a unique extra-curricular activity that provides its budding mechanical minds true real-world training. Five years ago the university enhanced the motorsports program's curriculum by launching a fully-sponsored, in-house UMP Modified team ' a unique after-school pursuit in which a select group of students builds and maintains UMP Modifieds and races them in the weekly events at nearby Limaland Motorsports Park, which is owned and operated by UNOH. The trip to Florida for the DIRTcar Nationals serves as the culmination of the 2011-2012 racing season for the UNOH motorsports team, which is housed in a shop on the university's 189-acre campus.

The UNOH UMP Modified team will invade Volusia with 32 students, all of whom receive scholarships in the same manner as student-athletes at other schools. More than 180 High Performance/Motorsports program students participated in try-outs for the select number of positions on the team; all the team members are transported to Florida each February to end their year-long stints with a busy week of activity servicing the UMP Modifieds.

UNOH's army of student mechanics at Volusia will include Kody Weisner of Muskegon, Mich., Chris Puskas of Somerset, N.J., Travis Fleshman of West Union, Ohio, and Josh Ulrich of Gettysburg, Pa. ' a quartet that will not only work on the University-built UMP Modifieds, but drive them as well. The balance of the team members will crew the UNOH-prepared cars, but Wallace, Schrader, the Dillon brothers (the grandsons of famed NASCAR team owner Richard Childress) and reigning Limaland Speedway UMP Modified champion Todd Sherman of Churubusco, Ind., who will enter the ninth UNOH-affiliated car, will also have students assigned to assist their efforts.

The four highest-profile UNOH drivers are not only well known on the national scene, but also accomplished in UMP Modified action at Volusia. Schrader is a former UMP Modified points champion of the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit (he won it in 2008), while Wallace and the Dillon brothers have each reached Victory Lane in UMP Modified competition over the past five years. Last year the Dillon boys and Schrader swept the Triple 25s program that closed out the UMP Modified portion of the DIRTcar Nationals, and last year's marquee UMP Modified event, the 'Gator Championship,' was captured by Ty Dillon.

The UMP Modified schedule during the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit features $1,000-to-win A-Mains on Feb. Feb. 14, 15, 16 and 17; a pair of $700-to-win preliminary events on Feb. 18 and 19 leading into the headline 'Gator' championship race paying $5,000 to win on Feb. 20; and a multiple-features-only finale ($700 to win each) on Feb. 21.

Accenting UNOH's activity at Volusia, the school will have a healthy presence at Daytona International Speedway, which sits less than a half-hour drive from Volusia. The school is sponsoring Ty Dillon's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series machine, and 34 UNOH High Performance Motorsports student 'interns' will be in the Daytona pit area assisting ARCA teams as part of a work arrangement with the series. In addition, the inaugural UNOH Career in Motorsports Expo on Feb. 18 at Daytona will give area students who have expressed interest in UNOH an opportunity to hear several guest speakers from the motorsports industry, including Childress.

Throughout the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit, UNOH representatives will be available in Volusia's midway area to promote the school's Motorsports programs.

'The University draws students from all 50 states and 16 foreign countries, and in the last few years we have had an influx of students interested in our High Performance/Motorsports Programs from the state of Florida,' said UNOH President Dr. Jeffrey A. Jarvis. 'By building and racing vehicles in Florida that will be driven and crewed by UNOH High Performance Motorsports students, the University hopes to continue to encourage both interested prospective students and local Florida high school instructors to check out everything that UNOH has to offer them.'

Founded in 1920, the University of Northwestern Ohio is comprised of the College of Business, College of Technologies and College of Distance Learning. UNOH offers over 60 programs in High Performance, Alternate Fuels, Diesel, Automotive, HVAC, Agricultural, Business, Marketing, Medical, Legal, Travel, IT Computer and Sport Marketing and Management with Associate degrees, Baccalaureate degrees and a Master's Degree in Business Administration.

For more detailed information about the University of Northwestern Ohio, visit www.unoh.edu.

The UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit is a 12-night short-track blockbuster that features nightly doubleheaders. Joining the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds on the busy schedule will be the UMP Late Models (30-lap A-Mains paying $7,000 to win on Feb. 20, 21 and 22 and a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win finale on Feb. 24); the World of Outlaws Late Model Series (50-lap A-Mains for $10,000 to win on Feb. 23 and 25); the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series (Feb. 17-19); the UNOH All-Star Sprint Car Series (Feb. 15-16); and the Super DIRTcar Series for Big-Block Modifieds (Feb. 22-25).

For more information on the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit ' including special pricing on advance-sale tickets and details of the 'Free Pit Pass With Every Ticket' offer that allows fans to get up-close-and-personal with the race teams every night of the DCN ' visit www.DIRTcarNationals.com or call 704-795-7223, 386-985-4402 or 877-395-8606 (ticket hotline).

More info on DIRTcar Racing can be obtained by logging on to www.DIRTcar.com.

2011 I-96 Speedway Awards Banquet in the Books

2011 I-96 Speedway Awards Banquet in the Books


Opening Night / 7th annual Ice Breaker set for Saturday, April 28th

Lake Odessa, Michigan (Saturday, February 4th, 2012): The 2011 I-96 Speedway Awards Banquet was held at the Steele Street Hall in downtown Ionia, Michigan on Saturday, February 4th as the four track champions within the United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) DIRTcar Racing Series were honored for their accomplishments from the 2011 racing season.

The highest honor of the night would be the inaugural I-96 Speedway Driver of the Year Award and the first ever recipient would be the 2011 Lane Automotive UMP Modifieds Track Champion, Jacob Poel for his accomplishments not only at I-96, but for his entire 2011 racing season as his stats were impressive to say the least.

In addition to his first career track title, he also collected the 2011 UMP DIRTcar Michigan State Point Championship, the inaugural 2011 Michigan Dirt Cup Modifieds Tour Championship, 21 Feature Wins at Six (6) different facilities, including Five (5) of those in Lake Odessa, Michigan. He also finished the season in fourth in the UMP DIRTcar National Points Standings.

Other special awards including the honoring of the late Jim Thompson, the long time Water Truck Driver at the speedway who suffered from heat stroke during the season and later passed away recently due to complications and other health issues. The I-96 Speedway Sportsman of the Year Award Winners will from this point forward receive the Jim Thompson Memorial Sportsman of the Year Awards. The inaugural winners in each division were: Brandon Thirlby-UMP Late Models; Ken Beutler-UMP Modifieds; Jay Chelbek-UMP Street Stocks; and Greg Pinard-UMP Sport Compacts.

Master of Ceremonies for the evening and the Voice of I-96 Speedway, Matt Prieur was honored as well with a very special Appreciation Award from track Co-Owners / Promoters, Mike & Sarah Mouch. Later, Prieur introduced the new co-announcer at the track, 19-year-old Dale Spencer who’ll be at Prieur’s side for the majority of the 2012 racing season and will be filling in on the nights that Prieur will not be at the track due to his commitments as the new Midwest Editor for Speed51.com

As for the final rundown of the season, the Tinney Automotive UMP Late Models would see Tom Sprague Jr., win his first I-96 Track Championship to go with 2007 UMP Late Models Track Title at near-by Winston Speedway. The Muskegon, Michigan driver in his beautiful black and white #21 Sprague’s Auto Parts / Rocket Chassis machine scored a single Feature Win, but it was the biggest one of all as he won the 2011 Season Championships main to clinch the title after going into Championship night third in the points standings.

Brandon Thirlby (1 Feature Win), the 2011 Jim Thompson Memorial Sportsman of the Year finished in the runner-up spot while Zach Olger (2 Feature Wins), Kris Patterson Jr., and 2011 Rookie of the Year Kathy Jarvis finished off the top five. Rookie Runner-Up Jason Wiley finished sixth overall while former two-time track champion Eric Spangler, Curtis Roberts, Dan Hubbell, and Dona Marcoullier wrapped up the top 10.

Honorable mentions outside the top 10 includes; Ben Hidy, Scott Baker, Sammy Epling, Phil Ausra, Luke Tominski, Dave Hartman, Chris Nash, 19-year-old Luke Hubbell, Rich Neiser, Rusty Schlenk (1 Feature Win), Dale Sheehy, and Shannon Babb (1 Feature Win).

In the Lane Automotive UMP Modifieds, Jacob Poel capped off a career season by winning his first career Track Championship. Later in the evening, he would receive the inaugural I-96 Speedway Driver of the Year Award. Poel’s popular black #82 Poel’s PRO-ACT Welding & Fabrication / Keyser’s Port City Racing machine scored a season high Five Feature Wins including the Summit Racing Equipment UMP Modifieds Summer Nationals Race as well as the 4th annual Dirt Gold Cup Championship Extravaganza / Season Championships.

The 2011 Runner-up was Mark Anderson (2 Feature Wins) while former two-time track champion Todd Feutz (2 Feature Wins), Travis Stemler and his Father Tim Stemler completed the top five. 2011 Jim Thompson Memorial Sportsman of the Year Ken Beutler finished sixth while former track champion Shannon Fisk was seventh. Luke Olger, Trevor Sloan, and Jared Guinn wrapped up the final top 10.

Honorable Mentions who finished just outside of the top 10 were; Johnny DeYoung, John McClure, Andy Sprague (1 Feature Win), Kyle Roberts, 2011 Rookie of the Year, 17-year-old Josh Crane, former track champion Rich Robinson Jr., Tim Dalman., James Kimmel, 18-year-old Derek Passenier, Zach Olger, 19-year-old David Mielke, and Joe Rokos.

For the Renegade Racing Fuels & Lubricants UMP Street Stocks, Lake Odessa’s own, Bill Brandt Jr., put together a career year to capture his first career Track Championship. The hometown favorite in his familiar white #65 Zylstra Construction Chevrolet scored Three Feature Wins on his way to his first career Track Championship in a very competitive division on the fast 3/8s (0.375) mile high-banked dirt oval.

Hillary Smith also had a career season in finishing as the former UMP Sport Compacts Track Champion finishes the year as the 2011 Runner-up. 2010 Rookie of the Year Ron Harper also finished on the podium in third while former track champion Gary Vandermark and Josh Frye (1 Feature Win) finished up the top five. Former track champion Aaron Wolf finished sixth while 2011 Jim Thompson Memorial Sportsman of the Year Jay Chlebek was seventh ahead of Rich Sweet (1 Feature Win), 2011 Rookie of the Year, 16-year-old Carlind Forsythe, and Cody Denny were the final top 10.

Those outside of the final top 10 who were deemed honorable mentions were; Bruce Howe, Dan Dykman, Duane Nelson, 19-year-old Trei Cotter, Nathan Eli, David Grega, Derek Poland (1 Feature Win), Landon Hidy, Keith Shumaker, Ron Wiers, Ryan Alexander, and Tom Curley.

Finally in the Jim’s Auto Body of Portland UMP Sport Compacts, Hastings, Michigan driver, Rick Peck, the 2010 18 & Over Rookie of the Year showed no signs of a sophomore slump in any way as the driver of the red and black #14 Bob’s Repair Saturn showed the way in the tracks beginners division with an impressive four Feature Wins en route to his first career Track Championship in only his second year of racing.

Tim Horvath II finished the year as the 2011 Runner-up over 2011 18 & Over Rookie of the Year Kyle Brigance who also finished on the podium in third overall. Former track champion Dan Reimersma (2 Feature Wins) was fourth while 2011 17 & Under Rookie of the Year, 16-year-old Jordan King completed the top five. 2011 Jim Thompson Memorial Sportsman of the Year Greg Pinard (1 Feature Win) was sixth while 10-year-old Rookie Christopher Joyce, 13-year-old Harper Hotchkiss, and two more rookies, Mike Vezino and Kyle Brigance were the final top 10.

Honorable Mentions who finished just outside of the top 10 were; Scott Rumsey, Colee Ruesink, 19-year-old Caleb Schuiling, Chad Tomczak (1 Feature Win), J.T. Leach, Chuck Peterson II, Rich Lieb (1 Feature Win), 17-year-old Calvin Stemler, 17-year-old Joe Pironello, 15-year-old Mariah Caswell, Paul Namey, and 16-year-old Kenny Playter.

Co-Owners / Promoters, Mike and Sarah Mouch would like to sincerely thank the entire management and staff as well as the great teams and dedicated fans of I-96 Speedway for making the 2011 racing season such a rousing success. The 2012 racing season begins with two Pre-Season Test & Tunes scheduled for Saturday, April 14th and Saturday, April 21st as both Test & Tunes will see the Pit Gates open at 12:00p.m., and Practice will go from 1:00-6:00p.m. each day.

The 2012 Racing Season will begin on Saturday, April 28th with the 7th annual Ice Breaker / Opening Night 2012 featuring a full four in one show highlighted by the high-powered UMP Super Late Models who’ll be joined by the UMP Modifieds, UMP Street Stocks, and UMP Sport Compacts.

Note: Some new starting times to be implemented for the 2012 racing season; Pit Gates will Open at 3:00p.m., just like in previous seasons, however Practice will start earlier than in the past as the cars hit the track on race day starting at 5:30p.m. and will take turns on the track on a rotating basis until 6:30pm. After Pre-Race Ceremonies / Invocation / National Anthem(s), which are slated for 6:45p.m., Racing will begin at 7:00p.m.

For more information about the fast approaching 2012 racing season, please call: 1 (616) 642-0555 or visit the website at: www.i96speedway.com You can also follow all of the off-season happenings in Lake Odessa, Michigan by becoming a fan on the tracks Facebook Fan Page. Just go to: www.facebook.com and search “I-96 Speedway” and click on “Like” button today. You can even follow us on Twitter as well, just go to: www.twitter.com and search “I-96 Speedway”